Sunny Yellow Dress
by Hello000
Summary: Rose knew the answers to all the whys in her novel. Scorpius knew the facts in his articles were indisputable. Albus knew his talent was undeniable. James knew his actions were unquestionable. So why was life so uncertain? Why was it her? Why was it her in her sunny yellow dress?
1. Prologue - I

_**Prologue-I**_

Confidence

She had that once.

She was sure she knew the meaning of it.

Or maybe she was just confusing it with cravenness…now that she knew the meaning of quite well.

Jaxton knew confidence. He ate, breath, and slept it. It showed in the way he overtook a room; bringing everyone in and having them focus on him and him alone. She was the guest of honor, he was the host, but no one would ever accept that reality. She was just the timid, the mousy girl, he must have taken pity on. Maybe a friend who wanted to tag along or a one-off date that he could ditch in the early hours of the evening when the lavish woman in the six-inch heels caught his attention.

Yet, she wasn't any of those descriptions. She was indeed the guest of honor at this glamorous party all planned out for her astonishing success. Astonishing, mind boggling, bloody-hell-how-did-this-happen…at the end of the day it all meant the same. All this came out of nowhere and so fast that she still hadn't caught her breath. Wasn't it just yesterday that she was curled up by the fire, zoning out the world, and creating a better one in her head? Wasn't it just yesterday that Liam, Isabella, and Collin were just figments of her imagination? Their adventures a release for all her pain and just a way to forget the cruel world around her? Were they supposed to lead to this? The decked out room with sparkling streamers, flowing champagne, and guests dressed impeccably well?

No…the simple answer was no.

For the umpteenth time that night, Rose consciously swept her hand up to make sure the fancy bun was still holding in all her honey-brown hair. Her waves were often hard to deal with, but Dominique had assured her over and over again that she was dressed to impress from head-to-toe. As uncomfortable as she was now, she had picked out the long black dress all on her own. Dom had originally picked out a white number, but based on the fact that her hands hadn't stopped shaking since she got here, white would've proven to be a mistake quite early into the evening.

She supposed the evening was nearing its end anyway, she did what needed to be done…or what Jaxton had advised her on. She mingled to the best of her ability, she talked about her writing techniques, how the publishing came to be, and why every bookstore in the wizarding word would benefit from stocking it. Jaxton wanted it to sell, and sell in large numbers. Rose didn't know why she was so surprised by that. From the moment she met him, almost a year ago, his motto had been to go big or go home. He didn't lack in confidence…he had no reason to. When he wanted something done, he did it right, and he took on full responsibility.

Jaxton Chambers. Six-foot-two, devilishly handsome with his disheveled sandy-blond locks, and a smile that could melt a girl's heart within seconds. Rose knew boys like him…she grew up with boys like him and watched them turn into manly versions of their prior selves. Was that why she was immune? Or was it because she had long forgotten what the rush of attraction felt like?

Ironically enough she had met him at a party, ironically enough he was a friend of Dom's…coming to wish her a happy birthday. That party was different however, but she was still the same Rose. Yes the Burrow's backyard was less intimidating and the familiar jubilant laughter of her family members calmed her, but she still didn't immerse herself. Like now, she had been sitting alone at a table in the corner, fidgeting in her dress, and using a quill as her means of a distraction. A year ago the love triangle between Isabel, Collin, and Liam was for her eyes only, until his brown eyes fell upon the parchment.

Did she know that Dom's friend Jaxton Chambers was the sole heir of Obscurus Books? Did she know he was searching for a break through novel to publish? Did she have any inkling that not telling him off for reading over her shoulder would catapult her into even more situations that made her extremely uncomfortable? No, of course not.

She would've simple smashed a champagne flute over his head if she had been a seer.

"You've done it, Ro!" Her insides cringed at the nickname as his voice boomed in her ear. He was extra gregarious at the moment, no doubt from far too many toasts on her behalf. "They're eating it up even more so than before…they find you absolutely charming, and by-gosh…your words! Ro! They love it all!"

He flopped himself onto the seat beside her and she took in his expensive set of navy-blue dress robes before meeting his eyes. They held so much excitement, so much hope…far-far more emotion than she believed her eyes would ever hold again. Jaxton didn't know that though, he never cared to find out, find out where those words that everyone oh-so-loved really came from. Again, she didn't know why she was so surprised or even cared. This was business and would always be.

"That's-um-great, Jax…really-really lovely, but are you sure?"

She nervously fiddled with the quill between her fingers and found that she couldn't look at his exuberant face any longer.

"Sure?" he asked breathlessly, "of course I'm sure!" His hand smacked against the lace-covered table and her insides knotted. "You won them over tonight."

"N-no," she fumbled, shaking her head. "Jaxton...this," she said breathlessly waving a hand across the room, "this was all you…I didn't do anything tonight. I barely got a coherent word out and I spent most of the evening here-in this chair-trying to make myself invisible."

"Why?"

It was such a simple question, one word, but it made the ground shake beneath her and her mouth to go dry.

_Why?_ How many times had she asked that over the years…how many different questions and concerns had she voiced starting with that one syllable? She never got her answers…why did he deserve to?

Closing her eyes, Rose shook her head before turning it down to the small piece of parchment she had been writing on. In a mere two hours she had outlined the whole sequel. Two books filled with their own whys, but these whys she could control…these whys she knew the answers to.

"Rose?" She felt a hand on her knee and tried her best not to flinch too noticeably. To most this was a gesture of comfort, and once upon a time it was for her too, but she had locked away her emotions long ago. Spells, heavy chains, a forever lost key…unlocking them seemed to get harder and harder with each passing day. "You should be so proud of yourself…this type of reaction on a debut novel…people would kill for an opportunity like this. You've got a gift, Rose Weasley…a gift of words…you'll amount to something great."

The world stopped in that moment. Every sound, every motion, just froze as those words became the only thing she could here. Yet, it wasn't Jaxton's voice ringing in her ear. This voice was airy and light, full of giggles, and just so self-assured.

_"Mark my words, Rosie…you'll amount to something great." _

Tears began to well up in her eyes and her heart constricted tightly within her chest. All the sudden she couldn't breathe, couldn't decipher a sound, all she knew was that she needed to get out of here…get somewhere she could breathe.

Pushing away her chair, Rose ran as fast as her heels could take her. She paid no mind to Jaxton's shouts of her name or the intense stares of the judging bureaucrats around her. She ran until she pushed open the doors of the posh restaurant and until the cold air of the crisp October night filled her lungs. She refused to fall apart there though, that she saved for the few seconds it took her to apparate home. And when she found herself alone in the dark-quiet flat…she let herself crumble into a million pieces…wondering how many tears she could still possibly have left to shed.


	2. Prologue - II

_**Prologue-II **_

"_You wouldn't survive," she teased. "You'd miss home far too much…" _

Her airy-light voice and soft giggles rang through his mind as he breathed in the crisp fall air. It was nearing midnight and everything around him was completely silent. His mother and father had gone to bed just minutes before, leaving him to dwell on the hours of words exchanged between them. Were they helpful? Did they make the list of pros and cons easier to sort and all the decisions easier to make? They wanted to think so, and he wanted them to think the same, but they were biased in their input. At the end of the day they were his parents…two individuals that wanted nothing more than to have him home. See his face more than a mere few days out of the year, and not have to waste so many moments wondering if he was okay.

A normal life, that's what they wanted for him, and once upon a time that's all he wanted for himself.

He spent his childhood traveling. His father's main goal after the war was to get away. To somehow outrun his demons, escape his past, and start fresh somewhere no one knew him. It wasn't easy, and it wasn't until he married that Draco Malfoy left the dreary skies of overcastted England to go gallivanting across the earth with his adventurous wife. As Astoria dived deep to enhance her Potioneer expertise, her husband stayed on the shallow end to set up apothecaries in her wake. They were a brilliant, but tortured match; two souls trying hard to dust off the ashes of their fallen families and make a new life for themselves.

He was the end result of those sentiments; their only child, a son who was determined to not let his family history ever stand in his way.

He grew up as a mixture of his parents. The love of travel and adventure ran through his veins and was fueled by the reality of following his parents wherever they went. He had wealth, saw the most exotic of places, and had more stories to tell than any other passenger on the Hogwarts Express that faithful fall day. He held his worldwide knowledge at great esteem-wore his intelligence proudly, and yet within the first fifteen minutes of that train ride, his ignorance to a youthful life became very apparent.

He thought he knew the meaning of family…always having had his parent's undivided attention.

He thought he knew the meaning of friendship…none of those kids had encountered more people than him.

He was foolish. So very foolish.

And as the Great Hall of Hogwarts castle erupted in happy chatter, enthusiastic laughter, and happy-go-lucky innocence…he never yearned for normalcy more.

He got his wish. At Hogwarts it was easy to be a kid like everyone else and when you made friends with the likes of the Weasley-Potter family, opening up and living life was easy as breathing. His parent's caught the bug too, and before he knew it he was like everyone else. He had a home at Hogwarts, he had a permanent home to come home to during the holidays, and the idea of trekking across the globe only seemed fun when mates planned to tag along. He was sure he'd never want that lifestyle again, he was sure he'd always be happy just staying and growing old in one place.

So why was he sitting in his backyard after months/years of traveling the world? Why had he jumped on that promotion? Why had he convinced everyone around him that his dream job had always been a field reporter for the international column? Why was he now so reluctant to accept a job that would bring him permanently back home once again…give him that normal life back?

Her joyous laughter filled his mind again and he clamped his hands tightly on his ears to try and block it out.

He had fled…he was still fleeing, away from all the memories, away from all the repercussions of that one day. There were several reasons why he was happy to be traveling all the time. Some reasons he never truly even admitted to himself. This, being back home all day and every day, could change a lot of things, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to come home and plow through several buried emotions just yet.

Shaking his head, Scorpius Malfoy rose from his seat, and thought hard about the one place he had spent the last few years avoiding. A few seconds and a pop later he was there; standing beside a rusted black-ironed gate. His pale hands stayed frozen, just centimeters away from pushing it open. His heart was beating fast and he could feel tears beginning to sting his eyes. He was falling apart at that moment, something he had refused to do since everything changed. He wasn't just breaking apart for her…he was breaking apart for everything she took with him when she left.

This wasn't supposed to be his life. He had a plan. He had the image drawn up in his head for years and had the means to make it into a sweet reality.

Scorpius didn't know how he managed to cross the gate, what force pushed his feet until he was standing right where he was supposed to be. His grey eyes looked anywhere but at the smooth black stone as his legs gave out on the soft grass below him. He had no choice but to look up now…meeting the words that caused his breath to give out.

_**Kylie Longbottom-Potter **_

_**A loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend **_

_**May her beautiful soul rest in peace **_

The tears in his eyes broke free. Tears he had refused to shed in the whole three years since she parted.

"I-I hate you, Ky," He cried-chocking on his sobs. "I h-hate you for everything."

* * *

And so it begins...


	3. Then & Now -10

**_Then & Now-1.0_**

_~Flashback~_

_The Leaky Cauldron had gone through many renovations over the years, but today it proved to be entirely unrecognizable. Long gone were the meal tables in all their various shapes and sizes. In their place, lined up in neat rows, were crafted chairs of whitewood, tastefully decorated with flowers and ribbons of pink and orange. A long white rug led from the stairs to a magnificent alter, which had been swapped in for the always busy bar counter. The crowds of people, gathered in small groups all around the main dining room, weren't the usual lunch crowd. These witches and wizards of all ages were joyfully laughing, pleasantly talking, and complementing each other's elegant attire. _

_They were here for a wedding. _

_Scorpius skillfully managed to slip past them all, this time around. All morning long he had been forced to involve himself in several frivolous conversations. Most of the elder crowd, invited out of social connections and thoughtfulness, could barely bite their tongues at the proper moment. They had so many unwanted comments, so much unnecessary advice to give. They believed the youth today was rash, immature, and completely ignorant to what the future actually held. No one in their right mind threw away their life at eighteen; not during this day and age. Most of them painted marriage as such a treacherous scene, despite the fact that they, themselves, had gotten hitched several long years ago. Some of the younger crowds weren't very pleasant either. The rumors that had surfaced from the moment the engagement was announced spread like Fiendfyre due to their forever opening mouths. 'She must be pregnant.' 'He proposed out of obligation.' 'They'll be divorced in a fortnight.' _

_The young blond thought it safe to get away and find much more liked company, before he spoke back with his irritation fueling his thoughts. He knew the truth that all these acquaintances did not. This wasn't about anything but love. The thought warmed his heart and made his mind wonder as he ran up the steps to the boarding rooms. As a member of the male gender he wasn't supposed to be up here, and a hard yank to his arm reminded him of that fact. _

_He was harshly pulled into a room and shoved against the wooden door. The sight before him caused his breath to halt as he took in all five-foot-two of her. Rose Weasley was dressed in a creamy orange dress; a pink ribbon tied around her slim midriff. Her long honey-brown hair was styled into a five-stranded side brain…intrinsically woven with pink and orange flowers. She looked simply ravishing. _

"_Boy free zone, Malfoy. You've been warned many of times." _

_Scorpius ignored her narrowed eyes and the arms crossed across her chest. She was a stubborn one, Rose Weasley. Always needed to have the last word, hated losing a spat, and could talk circles around him any day. She knew how to irritate him, knew exactly what buttons to press, and knew how to get him to do pretty much about anything. Right now though, all she was doing was causing his heart to race and a smirk to play across his lips. _

"_Isn't it bad karma to try and upstage the bride?" _

_She rolled her eyes and took a step closer. "Pardon?" _

"_Well, technically, this is supposed to be her moment to shine, to be the most beautiful woman in the room…so we can't have you looking like that, now can we?" He flirtingly teased. _

_She was standing just before him now, and he could make out every shade of her clear blue eyes. All her naturally beautiful features were enhanced by her subtle make up of pale pinks, and the flowery scent of her favorite perfume was overwhelming. It was messing with his mind and making him think things he shouldn't be. The fact that he was painfully aware that they were trapped alone in a room, containing a spare bed, was not helping matters. _

"_Getting a bit confident are we, Malfoy?" she asked in a dangerously innocent way. _

"_Funny, was going to ask you the same thing," he shot back as his eyes looked her over once more. "You were the one who pulled me in here." _

"_To stop you from venturing further," she argued. "If your dirty little mind thinks otherwise, well, that's not my problem." _

_His smirk grew larger as his dropped his head so his forehead was pressed against hers. "You really don't wanna go where my mind is going right now…or maybe, you do." _

_His voice was heavy and his minty breath wafted over her face. He felt her shiver and it just seemed to enhance his so called 'confidence' even more. Weddings were both a beautiful and dangerous event. _

"_Wow" She breathed. "One kiss and I have you talking like this." _

_Every nerve of his body was aware of the finger she was trailing across his chest, and he was certain she could hear his heartbeat. "What can I say…you leave quite the impression." _

"_So I've been told." Her gaze shot up to meet his, but traveled to his lips only a second later. "It wasn't supposed to happen," she spoke quietly. _

"_I know…" _

"_We've both got dates waiting for us downstairs…" It was a weak argument in both their opinions, no matter how twisted that sounded. _

"_Just dates, right?"His hands rose; fingers tantalizingly moving up her sides before squeezing her hips. "We're treading awfully close to the shore line, Miss. Weasley." _

"_You sure you're ready to test the waters, Mr. Malfoy?" _

_Their gazes were locked onto each other, and it seemed that everything outside the room disappeared from their knowledge. She forgot all about her maid of honor duties. He forgot why he ventured up here in the first place. All that mattered was the contact of their lips…something they had been yearning for since last night. The moment was perfect...almost too perfect. That became obvious when a loud rap at the door caused them to jump away. Scorpius' head went smack back against the door and he bit his tongue trying to suppress the hiss of pain. Her hands were covering her mouth, whether concealing laughter or a gasp he couldn't be too sure. _

"_ROSIE! Sweetie, did your dress work out?" _

_An actual gasp escaped her lips this time, and he smacked his forehead as her mother's voice came through the door. She was frozen from shock and he had to poke her to get her to respond. "Y-Yes!" She yelped quickly. "I um…I-I got it, Mum! Just give me a minute and I'll-I'll be right out." _

"_Okay, honey…you sure you're alright?" _

_Of course she had to have the most intuitive mother on the entire planet. "Yes-Yes, of course…just need a minute." _

_Scorpius had his hand on his temple, and was just shaking his head at all her blabbering. She narrowed her eyes at him before gesturing for him to listen carefully. He got the hint, and pressed his ear up against the wood. It took several moments for him to be sure that he could probably sneak out and back down the stairs undetected. Anyone seeing them was bad, the bride most of all. It would all become such a big deal before they even had time to come to terms with anything. This attraction, this desire…it just sort of shot up out of nowhere. Weddings were just plain poison for emotions. _

"_I think I'm good," he said softly, as he slowly met her gaze. The moment was gone, but the tension was still over powering. "I should get out…before I lose the opportunity." _

"_Lost opportunity, huh? Ironic much?" _

_He let out a long sigh and stood before her. "We really gotta talk." _

"_I don't think 'talking' is what you had in mind a moment ago." She pressed her lips tightly together and jerked her head to the door. "You should go…Leyna's waiting," she sang with an edge. "In all her long-legged-skimpily-dressed-glory…" _

"_You know that's not me," he interjected meaningfully. _

_Rose let out a long breath and hung her head. "Truthfully, that's what worries me…that you aren't that guy. You fall and you feel." _

"_So do you." _

"_Exactly." _

_She turned away from him, and a moment later when she turned back around, he had already slipped out. _

* * *

The flames were dancing on her pale complexion. She looked so small under the thick blanket so tightly wrapped around her. He couldn't blame her exactly, the night was a chilly one, and despite the rather large bonfire infront of her, the cold was hard to ignore. She was paying no mind to the rush of activity around her. Her cousins were the most boisterous of people, especially when Firewhiskey flowed freely. Their laughter was deafening, their euphoria tangible, but it didn't faze her. She kept her gaze down, her fingers busy with a quill and a piece of parchment. It's what everyone expected from her now because it was their way of knowing that she was okay. As long as she was out in the open, where they could see her and reach for her, it didn't really matter what she was doing. It was better that she sat on the edge than her hiding away from them all.

Scorpius wasn't sure how he felt about it, but he wasn't one to judge. Every now and again he would get a few days to spend time with the people he truly missed. He did not want to spend them arguing or prompting bad memories to appear. He wanted to make great memories that would carry him until he managed a few more days at a way later date. So he pressed his lips and locked away his opinions for the time being.

He approached her slowly and made himself a seat on the sand beside her. The dark waves of the sea crashed loudly beside them and the sky was studded with stars tonight. Dominique Weasley was the mastermind behind tonight's festivities. She had gathered everyone up and told them that a bonfire party out on the beach was the perfect way to celebrate Rose's achievement. The party was strictly family and any significant others, which were always the best parties in his opinion. He couldn't pinpoint the exact moment he became an honorary member of this family, but he was thankful every day that it had indeed happened. There were people he missed when he was away, and then some who's company he just greatly craved…a mass of them were gathered here tonight.

Scorpius plucked the parchment from her fingers and ignored her quiet yelp of protest. It was a small piece, with nothing but a few words written on it. It read out like the start of a dedication.

"You wrote well over five hundred pages in a matter of months, and you can't put together a mere few lines? You've been at this for hours, Rosie."

Rose snatched the parchment back and stared at it with a deep frown. "It's not the same," she grumbled folding it up. "It's the very last thing left and then…"

"Everything is out for the whole magical world to see," he finished for her in hushed tone. She nodded her head softly before leaning it on his shoulder. His arm came around her blanket covered body and held her close. "Who're you most thankful for, Rosie? Who made all this possible?"

He looked down to find her eyes clenched tightly. He could see the wheels turning in her head as she tried to come up with the best possible answer. "There's so many," she remarked with an edge of frustration. "Scorp, you don't understand. I can't…I've never-I've never really thanked anyone for everything they've done for me. This is my shot, this is my one chance to get it out there…and writing it seems to be the only way I know how. I don't wanna leave anyone out…don't wanna make someone feel like I've forgotten them."

He watched her gaze travel to the opposite side of the fire where her whole family was standing around. Parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, brother, a few close friends…she didn't want to let any one of them down. His grip tightened around her and coxed her into looking up at him. "You're not going to, Rosie…just write what's in your heart, like you've done with the whole book. The lot of them," he said, jerking his head towards her family. "They get it, they get it all…no matter what, they'll appreciate anything they read."

She didn't remark on it, just shuffled a bit closer to him. "Let's talk about something else."

What she meant was 'let's get the subject off of me'. He gave in like he always did and started asking about how everyone was doing. He asked about Dom's boutique, Albus' games, how Louis was doing in the Auror department. Her answers were generic and most of the stuff was old news he had already acquired from various owls and the two days he'd been home so far. Yet, he let her talk because her voice was a rare thing these days. Her volume had a limit and any sort of emotion came across on occasions far and few in between.

Their conversation was stop and start, and during the silence he studied the people that were letting them be. The one that kept his interest was the smallest of them all. He had the trademark messy Potter hair and the round chocolate brown eyes of his Mum. Ellis Potter was sitting by himself, more consumed in his own kid activities than anything the crazy adults were doing. Every once in a while someone would come check up on him or hand him a snack, but his eyes would only deviate from the large book in his hand for a half-second.

"He loves it," Rose commented. "Been two days since you gave it to him and he hasn't put it down."

That made Scorpius smile a genuine grin. "What can I say? I'm a true master when it comes to gift giving."

"You're just lucky he in his 'I love dragon' faze."

"Oh c'mon, Rosie, let a guy gloat, will'ya?" He wiggled his nose at her teasingly. "God, he's just growing up so fast. Four…almost five, man, where does the time go?"

He felt her stiffen and witnessed a blank look cast over her face. She had her triggers and Ellis' age was one of them, because the older Ellis got meant another year without Kylie. "You gonna tell me?" She looked up at him genuinely confused. "About the other night, and why I found you the way I did?"

Rose swallowed hard and pushed herself away from him. He hated the distance between them, more so when he caused it. "You know me, Scorp," she replied with a self-pitying laugh. "It's the small things that set me off."

He had a feeling it wasn't something small, not to her. All year round he'd get owls from everyone, and everyone, Rose herself included, would always be so reassuring. 'She's doing fine,' they'd say. 'It's been three years, Scorpius, she's fine now.' 'I'm good,' she'd say 'Just keeping myself busy from day-to-day.' He would convince himself to believe it all. Convince himself that one day he would come home to find the same Rose he once knew, but instead he found her asleep on her living room floor, having cried herself to sleep. Face all tear-stained and her dress and hair all rumpled. She hadn't offered him an explanation when he nudged her awake. She simply got up, showered, and welcomed him home with a stiff hug, then in her usual fashion, proceeded with her day as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"He's not pushing you too hard, is he?" he carefully asked.

"Who? Jax?" Scorpius nodded. "No, of course not," she claimed instantly. "Hey, he's the reason that I'm being published, right? It's not his fault I can't go through a whole social gathering without screwing it up somehow."

"Rose," he began with a long sigh, but she was quick to interject with a tone he didn't see coming.

"What? You gonna make an excuse for my behavior now too?" she snapped. He felt himself tilt back in surprise at the sudden harshness of her tone and eyes. "I'm not a baby, Scorpius. I can't be excused for every pathetic mess I make."

"Rose, I wasn't…."

"You told Albus it wasn't a good idea for me to live alone!" His mouth clamped shut immediately as he took in her rigid form. "Why would you do that?"

"You scared me," he argued. "Crying yourself to sleep on a cold floor, how am I supposed to feel about that? You were fine living with Louis."

"No I wasn't!" She shouted, getting up from her seat. "I was holding him back! He wanted to ask Jazzy to move in, and he couldn't do that with me still there. I'm the girl who everyone still feels sorry for after all these years. The girl who is so messed up that she can't fix herself, while everyone else moves on with their lives…I'm the burden, Scorpius! So I took myself out!"

Tears were streaming down her face and Scorpius stared dumfounded. How did they get from sitting wrapped up by a peaceful fire, to this? He usually knew how to read her, knew his limits with her, but it seemed the more he stayed away the more distant she was becoming from him. "You just don't get it," she cried desperately. "No one does." With that she was trudging away while he and her family just watched in a frantic daze.

"Is Aunt Rosie okay?" A small scared voice broke though the silence. Scorpius looked across the sand to find James kneeling before his son.

"Yeah, buddy she's…okay," was James' only answer.

For Scorpius okay wasn't good enough. Okay was not what he promised her...


End file.
